RALLYSPRINT UPDATE
Launch Time
4-Mar-25
It’s clicked over into March and yes, we’re a little further into the year to kick off the first round of the Newstead Lodge Northern Rally Sprint Series, but by gosh are we ready.
It’s time to throw stones again ladies and gents and we’re about to kick off the series with a new/old road. Pukekohe Car Club have sling shotted to round 1 of the series and for your patience, the offering is a road brought back to keep things fresh and tasty.
Ponganui Road sits south-west of Onewhero, in the Waikato District. It’s a road that’s been used before for events and Pukekohe Car Club are excited to have the opportunity to use this road for their round of the 25′ series.
The first round is this weekend, 8th March, so log into your Motorport app, secure your entry and let’s shake and bake.
Entries close on Wednesday 5th March, so get in quick.
There are 7 rounds poised for this year’s series. It’s an all club buy-in, ace cards thrown on the table and events plentiful. There was a slight hiccup with Hibiscus Coast Motorsport Club’s first round, patience though is key, an alternative date is being finalized with another road on offer. I shan’t ruin the appetite for punters, this road shall sit on slow cook until Hibiscus Coast Motorsport Club add in the final ingredients and announce its time.
The Series rules come up from time to time. It’s a brief read yes, are you proficient with the elimination process and points allocation system? A quick refresh of the Rules of the series will iron out some of the queries and equip you with what you need to know. In the past, there’d be series convenors present at most of the rounds. Wayne Sim, Don Brunt, Grant Liston, representation from three clubs. If you had a question, they’d be floating around to aid competitors with series queries that might pop up. At the end of series/year, we have meetings where club representatives dial in to cover the annual pillars of the series, a familiar competing member raised a hand and expressed interest in joining the convenors panel. Rather an honour to be on this knowledgable panel, the Northern Rally Sprint Series is proud to welcome the newest addition to the convenors team, Tony Young, South Auckland Car Club.
We’re thrilled to have another set of hands of deck and with Tony planning on giving this year’s racing a good shunt, give him a high five when you see him. Thanks Tony!
Next cab off the rank, the Drivers and Co-drivers’ Championship.
The Northern Rally Sprint Series offers a fun, friendly and competitive rally sprint environment. With a no-fee entry into the series, driver and co-driver teams are rewarded for attendance round-to-round. Series tables accrue points and tallies are tracked throughout the year. Drivers and co-drivers aspire to showcase in the championship tallies after fierce battles and hearty challenges throughout the year, chocolate fish racing at its very best.
Now, annoying as it is, drivers and co-drivers must register their inclusion to the series and to whom co-drivers will be sitting with. There is a tab for this on the website, it is quite easy. I assure you, the crystal ball becomes hazy if I have to guess who is with who. Organizers paperwork, as nightmarish as it can be, also provides transparency by means of passenger declaration forms. These are magic and allow series organizers to figure out who the heck sits with who at each round. There have been numerous online submissions made, so high praise for those who have registered so far. Auto-registration does apply for all who compete in the first three rounds but have not yet ventured to the registration page.
Long time rallying guru Charlie Evans and Jenny Webley have gotten in behind the Northern Rally Sprint Series as series sponsors and are helping drive this iconic string of events into the future of clubsport rally sprinting. Long time supporters and competitors, hats off or helmets raised high to Newstead Lodge, we’re thrilled to have you on board! Feel free to book your pets in for a vacay-stay before you intend on booking your next racing adventure.
Equally, co-drivers do not go unrecognized, and Chris Alexander of Suspension Tech is the driving force behind the co-drivers’ championship. A driver shall not bask in all the glory and sunshine alone, co-drivers form a pivotal part in the partnership, also they’re mandatory in rally sprint events. You can hold on to the under seat and go for the ride or sink your teeth into the high caliber pace notes provided by another proud rally sprint supporter Neil Alport Motorsport. I’d recommend going with the notes, with the likes of having Ruarangi Road back on the cards – an iconic and favourable rally sprint road – yo’ll wanna be flying over the crests oblivious to what’s on the other side or rising to the challenge and assuring your driver it is indeed FLAT OVER CREST.
More random banter to come, Ponganui Road is nipping at the heels. We look forward to seeing you all this weekend, please support the club and the catering and let’s get into Round One.
Nikki Sim
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